KYIV (Reuters) -Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy visited two sectors of the frontline facing Russian troops in eastern and southern Ukraine, handing out awards and posing with troops in video footage posted online on Monday.
The president’s office posted three videos and said Zelenskiy visited the two areas on Monday.
One site was in eastern Donetsk region, a focal point in the 16-month-old conflict, and the second was located in what was described as the Berdiansk sector in the south.
The first visit, according to the president’s office, involved the Khortytsia operational-strategic group, including soldiers who have fought Russian troops in the Bakhmut sector, where battles have been intense.
The first of the three videos showed the president handing out awards at an undisclosed indoor location and poring over maps with Oleksandr Syrskyi, commander of Ukraine’s ground forces.
“I have the honour to be here today, talk to the commander and first of all thank you, thank you for protecting our country, sovereignty, our families, children, Ukraine,” Zelenskiy said.
“Everyone in the country understands, so you know, those who are not on the frontline, everyone understands perfectly that you are doing the most difficult work today and everyone knows that eastern direction is very difficult.”
A second video showed Zelenskiy at a fuel station.
Dressed in his trademark military khaki t-shirt, he stood alongside troops in a queue at a counter and then posed for photos with the soldiers and women working there.
“The roads of Donetsk region, gas station, communication with our warriors.
Thank you for everything you do for Ukraine! Thank you for protection! I wish you all good health and good luck in battle!” Zelenskiy wrote under the video.
In the third video, Zelenskiy is shown handing out awards, posing with soldiers and again examining maps with officers.
Loud booms resound at least twice during the video.
Deputy Defence Minister Hanna Maliar said on Monday that Ukrainian forces had regained control over the village of Rivnopil, just west of a cluster of settlements recaptured in offensive operations.
The village appeared to be the ninth retaken by Ukraine this month.
Ukraine says it has been making advances since launching a counteroffensive, but Russian forces still hold swathes of Ukrainian territory following their invasion in February 2022.
(Reporting by Anna Pruchnicka and Kyiv newsroom, Editing by Timothy Heritage, Ron Popeski and Sandra Maler)
